The present invention relates to therapeutic and prophylactic devices, particularly to a cuff device that dynamically tightens and loosens on a wearer's body part as another body part is moved.
Various compressive cuff devices are known such as the straps that hold braces on a patient's limb and trunk to protect ligaments, tendons and bones as they heal following injury or surgery. Various strapping devices are also used to help prevent injury or provide support for the chronic instability of a body part. Elastic stockings and inflatable cuffs are used to reduce edema and blood stasis in the extremities that result from disease, injury, prolonged confinement or surgery.
Unfortunately, at the present time, ideal conditions for the efficient application of these braces, cuffs and stockings cannot be achieved with conventional means. These supporting structures tend to be either too loose on the body part, in which case the support members cannot adequately stabilize the body part against undesirable or abnormal movement or fluid stasis or, more frequently, these supporting structures are held too tightly, intensifying discomfort. prolonging immobility and aggravating the problem of stasis or atrophy.